Body-fluid absorption article

ABSTRACT

The invention resides in a body-fluid absorption article which comprises at least two elongated and substantially flat members which, in use of the article, are relatively superimposed with opposed flat surfaces, said members being physically separated throughout, or over a substantial portion of, their interface. The article is further characterized in that its inner member, i.e., the member adapted to be worn next to the skin, mainly consists of a liquid-absorbent material, whereas its outer member comprises one or a plurality of fluid-barrier layers of a watersoluble polymer, such as carboxy-methyl cellulose, capable of preventing any passage of body fluids, at least for the time of use of the article.

PATENTED P 1 1 I912 654-, 929

SHEET 1 [1F 3 Fig.1

LIQUID ADSORBENT S LAYER FLUID BARRIER LAYER CONT'G. WATER-SOLUBLEPOLYMER F United States Patent Nilsson et al.

[151 3,654,929 [4 1 Apr. 11, 1972 [54] BODY-FLUID ABSORPTION ARTICLE[72] Inventors: Marit Gunnel Matilda Nilsson, Kalame;

Ruth Gunvor Anna Britt Udden; Per Edward Carl Udden, both of Timra;Bengt Axel Wennerblom, Sundsvall, all of [58] Field of Search..128/284-290, 296

[ 56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 3,029,817 4/1962 Harwood eta1 ..128/290 R 3,183,910 5/1965 Patterson 128/290 R 3,395,708 8/1968Hervey et a1 ..128/284 3,407,814 10/1968 George et a1 ..128/290 R3,494,362 2/1970 Burgeni ..128/290 R 3,547,930 12/1970 Blomqvist..128/284 2,973,760 3/1961 Dudley ..128/287 3,073,308 1/1963 Stamberger..128/287 3,347,236 10/1967 Torr ..128/284 2,418,907 4/1947 Schreiber.128/290 2,512,713 6/1950 Cahill 28/290 X FLUID BARRIER LAYER coure.WATER-SOLUBLE POLYMER FLUID BARRIER LAYER cour'e. WATER- SOLUBLE POLYMER2,643,656 6/ 1 953 Atkinson ..128/290 2,699,170 1/1955 Morin ..128/2872,834,459 5/1958 Rickard et a1 ..128/290 UX 3,036,573 5/1962 Voigtman eta1. ..128/290 3,121,427 2/1964 Mosier ....128/290 X 3,406,689 10/1968Hicks et a1. 128/290 2,644,454 7/1953 Morhard ....128/290 2,838,0486/1958 Kowalski 128/290 2,952,259 9/1960 Burgeni 1 28/290 3,078,8492/1963 Morse 1 28/290 3,111,948 11/1963 Burgeni ....l28/290 3,115,87712/1963 Harwood..... ....l28/290 3,371,666 3/1968 Lewing ..128/285FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 832,709 4/1960 Great Britain 1 28/290 R632,783 12/1949 Great Britain ..128/296 Primary Examiner-Richard C.Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. Apley Attorney--Pierce, Scheeler &Parker [57] ABSTRACT The invention resides in a bodyfluid absorptionarticle which comprises at least two elongated and substantially flatmembers which, in use of the article, are relatively superimposed withopposed fiat surfaces, said members being physically separatedthroughout, or over a substantial portion of, their interface. Thearticle is further characterized in that its inner member, i.e., themember adapted to be worn next to the skin, mainly consists of aliquid-absorbent material, whereas its outer member comprises one or aplurality of fluid-barrier layers of a water-soluble polymer, such ascarboxy-methyl cellulose, capable of preventing any passage of bodyfluids, at least for the time of use of the article.

LIQUID ADSORBENT 35 LAYER 8 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures LIQUID ADSORSENTLAYER PATENTEUAPR 11 m2 3; 654.929

SHEEI 2 0F 3 FLUID BARRIER LAYER 5 com'e. WATER- 3 SOLUBLE POLYMER 1 f 3g.

LIQUID ADSORBENT LAYER PATENTEDAPR 1 1 m2 SHEET 3 [IF 3 Fig. 13-

OUTER MEMBER COMPRISES LAYER 0F ADSORBENT WATER- SOLUBLE POLYMER 71Fig-14 Fig.15 Fig. 1s

v 77 A F ADHESIVE 7s 75 75 ADHESIVE 81 ADHESIVE BODY-FLUID ABSORPTIONARTICLE The present invention relates to articles adapted for use inabsorbing body fluids. Although the invention is applicable primarily tosanitary napkins or towels and will be described hereinafter inconnection with such an application, it is applicable, to advantage, toother similar articles, as well, such as diapers and the like.

Conventional sanitary napkins or towels of various constructions sufferfrom one or more drawbacks, as follows: Thus there are sanitary napkinswhich are not safe against blood-soaking, particularly in cases wherethe blood quantity is great and under special circumstances the napkinwill have to be used for an abnormally long period of time. Further,conventional sanitary napkins, as a rule, cannot be flushed down throughordinary sewage disposal systems but will have to be collected anddisposed of in other ways. Among conventional sanitary napkins, certaintypes are so designed that, due to their thickness, they are readilydiscernible through the clothes, as well as being clumsy. Finally, itmay be mentioned that conventional sanitary napkins of the typecomprising a fluid-barrier layer often have this layer formed of amaterial which is also impervious to water vapor, which is aninconveniency since discomforts may arise if the normal gas interchangewith the ambient athmosphere be prevented during extended periods oftime.

One object of the present invention resides in overcoming, completely orpartially, all or most of the drawbacks just referred to.

Another object of the invention is to make provision for a simple andcommercially and industrially advantageous design of a sanitary napkinor towel having the characteristics aimed at according to the invention.

A further object of the invention resides in the provision of simplemeans for applying the sanitary napkin in use.

According to the invention, a body-fluid absorption article comprises atleast two elongated and substantially flat members which, in use of thearticle, are relatively superimposed with opposed flat surfaces, saidmembers being physically separated throughout or over a substantialportion of their interface, the article being further characterized inthat its inner member, being adapted to be worn next to the skin, mainlyconsists of a liquid absorbent material, whereas its outer membercomprises one or a plurality of fluid-barrier layers capable ofpreventing any passage of body fluids, at least for the time of use ofthe article.

According to a further feature of the invention, the article is suitablyso designed that its two members are separate or readily separable fromeach other. This will result in the advantage, inter alia, that themembers can be used separately in cases where the amount of body fluidsecreted is small.

According to an embodiment of the invention which is particularlyapplicable to sanitary napkins or towels, the member thereof to be wornnext to the skin when in use is made narrower, and preferably alsoshorter than the outer member thereof. This will further reduce thepossibility of body fluid passing over the edges of the article to itsoutside, and, in addition, the article can be accomodated still betterto the body and will be less discernible through the clothes of thewearer.

A sanitary napkin or the like according to the invention is suitablyprovided with a layer which is capable of preventing any fluid passageto the outside of the napkin during the entire time of use of the same.Such layer need not, and preferably should not, act as a permanent fluidbarrier but may suitably be formed from a material of a nature whichwill enable the layer to be dissolved or disintegrated a short timeafter fluid has been applied to both sides of the fluid-barrier layer.In this case, the material making up the layer is a water-solublepolymer, for instance a cellulose derivative, such as sodiumcarboxy-methyl cellulose (CMC). The layer may consist of a continuousfoil of said material, although it may also be composed of a more orless thick layer of polymer particles deposited on, or embedded in aliquid absorbent layer of cellulosic material which can be easilydisintegrated in water. Such an article after use may be flushed downinto a sewerage without any risk of clogging the latter.

The invention will now be described in detail in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of an article according to the invention inthe form of a sanitary napkin or towel, as seen in end view;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the napkin;

FIG. 3 is a side or edge view of the napkin;

FIG. 4 shows the napkin or towel of FIGS. 1 to 3 in cross section andwith the absorbent materials contained in its two members marked out;

FIGS. 5-12 inclusive serially disclose successive stages of a method ofmanufacturing the outer member of the article according to theinvention, in which series:

FIG. 5 illustrates in end view a sheet material having deposited on it afluid-sealing substance and serving for the production of the outermember of a sanitary napkin or a portion thereof in accordance with theinvention;

FIG. 6 shows the material of FIG. 5 after a first folding step;

FIG. 7 shows the material of FIG. 5 after a second and final foldingstep;

FIGS. 8 to 11 illustrate alternative embodiments of a sanitary napkin ora portion thereof;

FIG. 12 diagrammatically illustrates a method of embossing or pinchingand severing sanitary napkins in the course of a production process;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a sanitary napkin or towel as bentapproximately into the curvature thereof in use and having applied to itadhesive means serving for fixing the napkin;

FIG. 14 shows an end portion of the napkin of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows an end portion of a napkin having projecting therefrom anadhesive-coated strip or tape;

FIG. 16 shows an end portion of a napkin provided with an an adhesiveand a protective foil covering the latter; and

FIG. 17 diagrammatically illustrates in vertical cross section asanitary napkin or towel and surrounding drawers, as well as layers ofan adhesive as applied to the end portions of the napkin and serving forfixing the napkin in accordance with the present invention.

The napkin shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 comprises two members 1 and 5 which areelongated and substantially flat in shape and which, in use of thenapkin, are disposed with opposed flat surfaces against each other. Themembers are physically separated from each other throughout their commoninterface 7, except within a narrow zone 6 adjacent one end of themembers at which zone the members are interconnected, such as by anadhesive or by an embossment, or pinch. The member 1 is intended in useof the napkin to be disposed remote from the skin, while the member 5 isintended to be worn next to the body in contact therewith.

The member 1 has an inner core 25 of a fluid-absorbent material whichcan readily disintegrate in water, for instance shred cellulose or thelike, this core being surrounded by one or more layers 23 which can alsoreadily disintegrate in water and consist of a soft fibrous materialwhich is pleasant to the skin, for instance a thin creped paper,so-called crinkled tissue. Numeral 3 designates an inner layer withinmember 1, this layer being constituted by, or containing, a materialwhich will cause the layer, at least temporarily, to act as a fluidbarrier. Preferably, however, the layer 3 is designed to act as a fluidbarrier throughout the normal period of use of the sanitary napkin, butto readily dissolve or disintegrate when the napkin is soaked in water.As a result, the napkin can be flushed down directly into ordinarysewage or waste water systems.

Member 5 comprises an inner core 21 of a fluid absorbent material of thesame kind as the material 25 comprised in member 1 and is surrounded byone or more layers of crinkled tissue or the like. Member 5, as shown,contains no fluid barrier layer, it being possible, however, to providetherein a fluid barrier similar to the fluid barrier 3 of member 1, inwhich case it may be suitable to arrange the fluid barrier of member 5to be active only for a relatively short period, being shorter than thenormal period of use of the sanitary napkin or towel. Such fluid barriermay result in that the absorbent material of member 5 will be utilizedto its maximum extent before the absorbent material contained in member1 is taken into use.

Member 1 suitably has a width A of 50 to 100 mm. Member 5 has a width Bwhich is less than the width A and may be of the order of 30 to 80 mm.Owing to the member 5 being narrower than member 1, the napkin will benarrower next to the skin and thus more easily accomodated as well asless discernible through the clothes, owing to the fact, inter alia,that the wider outer member will create an outer contour of thecomposite napkin which will conform more closely to the skin.

A further advantage of having the napkin composed of two easilyseparable members of different widths resides in the possibility ofusing one only of the two members of the napkin during periods whensmaller amounts of body fluids are secreted, which will result, interalia, in an increased feeling of comfort.

The length 11 of member 1 may be, for example, 200 to 500 mm., whereasthe length L2 of member 5 is less. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, thedifference between the lengths L1 and L2, in the flat position of thenapkin, is so chosen that, even in the position of use of the napkin,the outer member 1 will also project beyond member 5 at its end edgewhereby the outer contour of the composite napkin will maintain a softlyrounded shape.

In the embodiments thus described, the sanitary napkin or towel iscomposed of two elements or members which are physically separated fromeach other over a substantial portion, at least, of their commoninterface. However, the napkin may consist of more than two members, inwhich case the outermost member may be largest in width, and theinnermost member may be the narrowest one. Further, the constituentmembers of the article need not be rectangular in shape, as seen in planview, although this is the case in the embodiments shown, but can begiven any other shape, in particular where such articles as diapers andthe like are concerned. The rectangular shape, however, is advantageousfrom the point of view of production and will most often give anentirely satisfactory result, not least where sanitary napkins or towelsare concerned.

Normally, the element or member to be worn next to the skin should havea substantial thickness and comprise a core presenting a satisfactoryfluid absorptiveness. On the other hand, the member to be worn remotefrom the skin need not, of necessity, contain any fluid-absorptivematerial, or in any case need only contain small amounts of suchmaterial in cases where the member to be worn next to the skin of theuser has been given a sufficient thickness to be capable substantiallyalone to be responsible for the total fluid-absorption capacity of thecomposite napkin or towel.

A body-fluid absorption article, in particular a sanitary napkin ortowel, or an element or member forming part thereof, according to thepresent invention may also consist of one single material comprising oneor more layers or sheets of a highly fluid absorbent paper, such as, forexample, crinkled tissue, and having deposited thereon a temporarilyactive fluid-barrier layer of a water-soluble polymer, for example. Whenapplying said fluid-barrier layer in a coating machine, it has beenfound that the backing of tissue or the like, because of its lowmechanical strength, cannot be coated with a polymer layer of anythickness. The coating operation will be effected with a maximum ofreliability if only a relatively thin layer of the polymer material isapplied, however such thin layer often will prove to be too thin to becapable of fulfilling its aimed function of effecting a temporarywater-imperviousness of the coated material. This problem, according tothe present invention, is solved by the features of forming the sanitarynapkin or towel from a strip or web material consisting of one or more,preferably two or three, layers of a fluid-absorbent fibrous material,such as crepe paper of the crinkled-tissue type, said strip materialbeing provided adjacent one side thereof with a temporarily activefluid-barrier layer of a polymer material or any suitable othersubstance, and folding over or severing and superimposing the portionsof such assembly to form a napkin or towel, or a member or elementthereof, in such a way as to cause polymer layers in contact with eachother to appear within one zone or at one level, at least, of the napkinor towel.

The two polymer layers thus contacting each other will cooperate to forma fluid-barrier which is substantially more effective than that providedby one single layer of the polymer material. According to the invention,such double layers of the polymer material are arranged at two zones orlevels, at least, within the napkin or towel.

Further, according to the invention, it is possible to effect saidfolding over or superposition of the severed portions in a manner tocause the external surfaces of the finished sanitary napkin to beconstituted by non-coated surfaces of said strip material.

Owing to the use of an easily disintegrating paper of the tissue-type,and a coating material in the form of a water soluble polymer, theentire napkin or towel of the invention will readily disintegrate as awhole in water and thus can be flushed out through ordinary sewers.

Since the tissue material is relatively fragile, and because of thisfact the coating material of the napkin or towel will sometimes tend totear off (crumble), this is preferably prevented according to theinvention by effecting a slight wet strengthening of the tissuematerial, however, only to a limited extent so that the material willstill be easily disintegrated in water so that it can be flushed downthrough sewers.

FIG. 5 illustrates in end view a strip material having a width fourtimes the width of the sanitary napkin to be produced therefrom andhaving a length corresponding to that of said napkin. The strip materialconsists of a two-layer crinkled tissue 31 being combined on one sidethereof with a layer 33 of a water soluble polymer, for instance thesodium salt of carboxy-methyl cellulose (CMC), or any other substanceadapted to render the combined material temporarily impervious to water.The material is folded over in its longitudinal direction at the pointsdesignated by 35 and 37, thereby assuming the shape as illustrated inFIG. 6, with the polymer layers of the folded-over portions 41 and 43 incontact with the polymer layer of the intervening portion of the stripmaterial 31. Then a second folding step is carried out at the pointdesignated by 39 whereby the article will be formed into its final shapeas shown in FIG. 7. In this form, the article may be used as a sanitarynapkin or towel, or may form part thereof. As shown in FIG. 7, thenapkin or towel comprises two double-layers of a substance acting as atemporary fluid barrier, these doublelayers being relatively separatedby four layers of tissue. Such build-up of the napkin will enablesimplicity and economy of production, and at the same time the napkinwill show satisfactory characteristics as regards its capability ofpreventing any penetration of body-fluid therethrough for the timeperiod of use of the napkin.

To produce such articles, a continuous web of crinkled tissue may becoated on one side face with a water-soluble polymer or the like in amanner known per se, after which the web is severed in widths eachcorresponding to four times the width of design of the napkin, and eachsuch severed portion is then folded over twice as illustrated in FIGS. 6and 7. Thereafter, the portions of the napkin thus superimposed may beinterconnected along zones extending across the same by a simpleembossment or pinching operation by means of jaws 61, as shown in FIG.12, the distance between adjacent embossment or pinching zones beingequal to the length of the napkin to be produced. The material is thensevered at the center line of each embossment or pinching zone by meansof a cutting device 63, thereby forming individual napkins 34.

FIG. 8 illustrates a method of folding the napkin, this method beinganalog to that of FIGS. 5 to 7 as regards its final result. The napkinof FIG. 8, however, suffers from the slight inconveniency that the edgesof the tissue material will remain exposed along one longitudinal edgeof the napkin.

FIG. 9 shows a form of sanitary napkin or towel which has been obtainedby a double folding-over of a polymer coated, double-layer tissue 49,only three layers of double-layer tissue being comprised in the napkin.Two of the layers are so disposed that their polymer layers 50 arefacing each other.

A sanitary napkin or towel consisting of three double-layer tissue isalso illustrated in FIG. 10, according to which all the polymer layersare separated from each other by intervening tissue material.

FIG. 11 illustrates a sanitary napkin or towel produced bymultiple-folding of a material 51 consisting of one single crinkledpaper tissue layer, unilaterally coated with a water-soluble polymer 52or the like. The napkin is provided with an envelope 53 of double-layer,uncoated tissue.

The forms of sanitary napkin or tissue illustrated in FIGS. 7 to 11 havebeen tested as to their capability of preventing the passage ofbody-fluids therethrough. The tissue used was of a grade having asurface weight of 17.5 g./m. The substance serving to prevent any fluidpassage through the napkins was the sodium salt of carboxy-methylcellulose (CMC) of a refined, highly viscous quality, milled and sievedthrough a screen having a mesh width of 0.05 mm. The uncoated tissuelayer was coated by conventional techniques with CMC by passing the samethrough the nip between two horizontally disposed rubber coated rolls ofa so-called size-press while supplying a coating paste to the nipbetween the rolls. The coated material was dried and then reeled up.

The coating paste was prepared as follows: 2 parts by weight ofhydroxy-propyl cellulose of quality Klucel G" from the Hercules PowderCompany, U.S.A., were dissolved in 83 parts of ethanol by weight. Then,while stirring vigorously, 15 parts of CMC by weight were admixed.Because this will increase the viscosity of the liquid phase, i.e. thealcohol, the tendency of sedimentation of the CMC particles will bereduced. In addition, the liquid penetration into the paper during thecoating operation will be reduced. Finally, the hydroxy-propyl cellulosewill act as a binder for the CMC particles in the dried product, wherebythey are prevented from detaching too easily.

The coating machine employed comprised as its coating unit a so-calledglue press having horizontally lying pressure rolls. The paste waspumped into the glue-press nip between the pressure rolls. A certainrecirculation or reflux of paste through outlets at the ends of the nipwas provided for. Such recirculation proved necessary in order toprevent the paste from thickening by solvent vaporization, which wouldresult in a too irregular coating.

The drying was carried out in hot air at a temperature of 160 C.

The coating contained about 10 g. net weight of solids per square meter.

Sanitary napkins or towels produced from the material thus obtainedaccording to embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9 to 13 were tested, forcomparative break-through prevention periods in the following manner:

Napkins sampled in random order were placed on a glass plate whereby anybreak-through of testing fluid could be observed conveniently andquickly by means of a mirror. The testing fluid was 50 percent blood and50 percent water. Two milliliters thereof were poured over each napkinto be tested, and the time elapsing until the first break-through spotappeared was measured. The arithmetic mean from IQ tests of the sameform of napkin was noted. The testing showed that said time intervaluntil the first break-through spot occurred was 5 min. for the napkinsaccording to FIGS. 7 and 8; 16 sec. for the napkin according to FIG. 9;8 sec. for the napkin according to FIG. 10, and 33 sec. for the napkinaccording to FIG. 11.

The times measured in the testing operation just described obviously aresubstantially shorter than the break-through times during normal use ofthe sanitary napkins or towels, not least because for such use thenapkin, as a rule, will have been combined with further absorbentmaterial adapted to disperse fluid over a larger area, therebycounter-acting the occurrence of break-through spots. It may beconcluded from the test results that a napkin comprising exclusivelysingle, thin polymer layers which do not contact each other but areseparated by absorbent material, such as that according to theembodiment of FIG. 10, is relatively easily pervious to fluids. If thenapkin incorporates polymer layers in contact with each other, as is thecase in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 7., 8, 9 and II, the totalfluid-barrier capacity of the two polymer layers will be substantiallyincreased. The embodiments of FIGS. 7 and 8, being the most favorableones from a breakingthrough point of view, comprise two double-layers ofpolymer material separated from each other by a plurality of layers ofabsorbent material, such separating layers involving the advantage ofeffecting a dispersion and distribution of the fluid penetrating throughthe first double-layer of polymer material, thereby counter-acting thebreaking-through of the underlying layer of polymer material. Theoccurrence of this effect is indicated by the less favorable test resultin respect of the napkin of FIG. 11, this napkin incorporating, as well,two doublelayers of polymer material, which double-layers, however, arenot separated by thick layers of absorbent material. Instead, additionalabsorbent material is included as an envelope around the fluid-barrierlayers.

An article produced according to the invention, for instance of theembodiments thereof shown in FIGS. 7, 8, or 9, has external surfaceswhich all consist of uncoated crinkled tissue, this being an advantagewhich will be attained automatically in response to the particularfolding or superimposing method practiced according to the invention.The product according to such embodiments may be used either as afinished sanitary napkin or as a member or element forming part of anapkin, for instance as the outermost member of a napkin composed of twoor more superimposed flat members, although, in different dimensions, itmay be used for other purposes, as well, for instance as a diaper or thelike.

A further aspect of the present invention resides in the provision ofmeans adapted in a simple way to enable a sanitary napkin or towel, adiaper or the like to be retained in a proper position of use withoutthe necessity of wearing a girdle or special sanitary undergarment. Theinvention according to this aspect is particularly applicable tosanitary napkins or towels and therefore will be described hereinafterin connection with such application.

According to this aspect of the invention, the napkin is provided withan element having applied to it a so-called pressure sensitive adhesivewhich is capable of adhering to the textile material of the clothing.The napkin or towel proper may be of any type and may be provided,according to the invention, with an adhesive-carrying strip, i.e. alength of adhesive tape, having a portion thereof projecting outwardlyfrom the napkin and serving to fix the napkin to the clothing.Alternatively. a portion of the napkin itself may have applied to it apressure sensitive adhesive, in which case this adhesive is preferablyapplied adjacent the ends of the napkin, for instance adjacent the endof the napkin to be disposed at the front of the wearers body, and onthe surface of the napkin remote from the skin.

As the pressure sensitive adhesive, any of the polymeric adhesiveswell-known to those skilled in the art concerned may be employed.Examples which may be mentioned are styrenebutadiene rubber, adhesivesmarketed under the trade name of BunaN, polyvinyl ethers, polyesters ofacrylic acid, and polyisobutylene.

The adhesion to the undergarment accomplished by the pressure sensitiveadhesive, quite surprisingly, has been found to be entirely sufficientfor fixing the napkin in proper position when in use, even if the areaof the adhesive coated surface is as small as about 2 to 5 cm.*, andparticularly if this surface is disposed very near the front end of thenapkin. The surface to be coated with adhesive should have an extent ofat least 20 mm, preferably at least 30 mm., for instance 40 mm., in thelongitudinal direction of the napkin, in which case the width of thesurface in the transverse direction of the napkin need not be largerthan about 5 to 20 mm., for instance 10 mm.

During storage of the napkin before use, its adhesive coating, in awell-known manner, may be protected by a strippable foil or gauzeelement. Since the napkins are very light of weight and, during storage,are very loosely packed, a protective gauze applied to the adhesivelayer may have sufficiently wide meshes to enable adhesion to thetextile material of the drawers to be accomplished simply by applying aforceful hand-pressure through said gauze, i.e. without any necessity ofremoving the latter.

This arrangement according to the invention will now be described indetail in conjunction with FIGS. 13 to 17 of the accompanying drawingsillustrating the same in a couple of embodiments by way of example.

The sanitary napkin or towel of FIG. 13 may be of any type comprisingone single layer 71 of absorbent material, or of a type comprising anouter member 71 and an inner member 71a, the latter being eitherentirely separate from the outer member 71, or connected thereto, forinstance at one end portion, 73 or 75, of the outer member, as describedhereinbefore. Of these end portions, that designated by 73 is the rearend portion and that designated by 75 is the front end portion.According to the present invention, there is applied to a limitedsurface area of the front end portion 75 a pressure sensitive adhesivelayer 77 capable of adhering to the material of the enveloping drawers83, as shown in FIG. 17. As illustrated in FIG. 17 in which the elasticwaistband of the drawers is designated by 85, their front portion by 87and their back portion by 89 the adhesive is applied both to the frontend 75 and to the rear end 73 of the napkin 71. As a rule, it will besufficient, however, to apply adhesive to the front-end portion 75 ofthe napkin. Adhesion to the drawers is readily accomplished by a manualpressure exerted externally on the adhesive-carrying portion.

According to FIGS. l3, 14, 16 and 17, the adhesive is applied to thenapkin proper. According to FIG. 15 the adhesive is applied to anoutwardly projection portion of a separate strip element 79 fastened tothe end portion of the napkin in any conventional way.

The surface accomodating the adhesive may suitably be dimensioned so asto have a larger dimension in the longitudinal direction than in thetransverse direction of the napkin, as illustrated in FIGS. 14, 15 and16, in which case its extent A in the transverse direction of the napkinmay be from to 20 mm., suitably about mm., while its extent B in thelongitudinal direction of the napkin may be at least mm., preferably atleast mm., for instance about mm.

As shown in FIG. 16, the adhesive layer 77 may be covered by aprotective foil 81 intended to be stripped off immediately before use ofthe napkin. Such foil will prevent sticking together of adjacent napkinsin a package and may be in the form of an imperforate foil, a piece ofgauze or the like. When using pieces of gauze, the mesh width of thelatter could be chosen to be of a size sufficient to enable adhesion tothe textile material of the drawers to be accomplished by manuallyexerting a forceful pressure through the gauze when fixing the napkin tothe drawers, i.e. without any need of removing the gauze before thenapkin is taken into use. Pressures of such order of magnitude, andinter-adhesion caused thereby, will not occur between adjacent napkinsin a package.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to theembodiments described hereinbefore andas illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since many modifications and variations are possible withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A body-fluid absorbing article comprising at least two elongated andsubstantially flat members which, in use of the article, are placed withopposed flat surfaces in contact with each other, said members beingphysically separated over the predominant portion of their interface andjoined together only at a limited area of said interface, one of saidmembers, the inner member which is to be worn next to the skin, mainlyconsisting of a liquid-absorbent material which is easilydisintegratable in water, whereas another of said members, the outermember, consisting essentially of l) a liquid-absorbent material whichis easily disintegratable in water and (2) at least one liquid-barrierlayer of a water-soluble polymer, said liquid-barrier layer of polymermaterialbeing disposed at two zones or levels, at least, between which afluid absorbent material layer for substantial fluid dispersion thereinis disposed, said zones or levels acting to prevent any passage throughsaid liquid barrier of fluid passing from said inner member and reachingsaid liquid-barrier, and further being adapted to permit said outermember to be readily disintegrated after soaking in water.

2. An article according to claim 1, in the form of a sanitary napkin,wherein said inner member is smaller than said outer member.

3. An article according to claim 2, wherein said members areinterconnected only at the short end of said inner member.

4. An article according to claim 1, in which said liquid-barrier is madeof a polymer material adapted to render the article highly pervious towater vapor.

5. An article according to claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymeris the sodium salt of carboxy-methyl cellulose.

6. An article according to claim 1, wherein said liquid-barrier consistsof two layers of polymer material contacting each other.

7. An article according to claim 1, in the form of an elongated sanitarynapkin wherein a portion of the external surface of the napkin facingthe clothing of the wearer is provided with a layer of apressure-sensitive adhesive capable of adhering to the material of theclothing, said pressure-sensitive adhesive being applied at one shortend only of the napkin.

8. An article according to claim 7, wherein said pressuresensitiveadhesive is applied to a surface of said napkin, having a substantiallylarger extent in the longitudinal than in the UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE v. CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 4 929 .Dated April 111972 Inventor(s) Marit Gunnel Matilda Nilsson et al It is certified thaterror appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the Original Letters Patent under "Foreign Application Priority Data"the third application acknowledged therein, to wit: Sweden 14792/67 wasfiled October 30, I 1967 instead of the erroneously given date ofOctober 10, 1967.

Signed and sealed this 1st da of August 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.PLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents FORM Po-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 US GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE: I969 0-366-334.

2. An article according to claim 1, in the form of a sanitary napkin,wherein said inner member is smaller than said outer member.
 3. Anarticle according to claim 2, wherein said members are interconnectedonly at the short end of said inner member.
 4. An article according toclaim 1, in which said liquid-barrier is made of a polymer materialadapted to render the article highly pervious to water vapor.
 5. Anarticle according to claim 1, wherein said water-soluble polymer is thesodium salt of carboxy-methyl cellulose.
 6. An article according toclaim 1, wherein said liquid-barrier consists of two layers of polymermaterial contacting each other.
 7. An article according to claim 1, inthe form of an elongated sanitary napkin wherein a portion of theexternal surface of the napkin facing the clothing of the wearer isprovided with a layer of a pressure-sensitive adhesive capable ofadhering to the material of the clothing, said pressure-sensitiveadhesive being applied at one short end only of the napkin.
 8. Anarticle according to claim 7, wherein said pressure-sensitive adhesiveis applied to a surface of said napkin, having a substantially largerextent in the longitudinal than in the transverse direction of saidnapkin.